Thursday, September 15, 2005

Happy birthday to my blog, a year old today. It's brought me much pleasure, of various kinds. One is the pleasure of knowing that someone, somewhere, might be reading (and, I hope, finding value in) something I've written. Another is the pleasure of getting a response--my blog posts have brought more (and more varied) comment (here and in e-mails) than any of my "publications."

What I like most about blogging is that it gives me the occasion, as often as I like, to write--to get something said, as best I can, and get it done. (And, sometimes, go back and tinker.) A student asks, Are there really commas in ancient Greek? I can write about it. I happen to see my elementary school on television? I can write about it. I'm amused by an item in the Levenger catalogue? I can write about it.

"Orange Crate Art" has changed in various ways: my original intention, to make a blog relevant to the classes that I teach, has broadened considerably. Because I count some of my students among my readers, I've avoided political comment, until the unconscionable federal response to Katrina (which does seem to me to be a matter of murder by bureaucracy). I'm still devoted to looking outward, not so much at "me." And as I keep looking for interesting stuff, I think I've become a little less curmudgeonly, or at least less interested in calling attention to the spelling and grammatical errors of those who should know better.

I'd like to say thanks again to Rachel and Ben once again, without whom I'd have never learned the necessary HTML. And thanks again to Rachel, who suggested the title. Thanks to Van Dyke Parks, who was gracious and enthusiastic about my use of his song-title as "a place to start." And thanks to everyone who has read any of it, especially Louise, Norman, Sean, Stefan, and other "returning visitors." Y'all know who you are, even if I don't.

Total posts (including this one): 305.

Month with the fewest posts: May 2005 (17).

Month with the most posts: February 2005 (37). (It was cold out, I guess.)

Highest number of "unique" visitors on a single day: 205 (May 13 and July 13, via links from Moleskinerie).

Strangest Google search that has led to "Orange Crate Art": i keep my cocker spaniel tied 8 9 hours is this too long.

comments: 5

It's a very interesting topic, I think; one that people don't mention very often, namely, what were their intentions in first setting up a blog, and how did those intentions change as it evolved?

I know what you mean about "the occasion to write". I find that I have more ideas for topics than I ever get the physical opportunity to sit down and write about. Sadly, it's often the best ideas that fall away, as I sometimes tend to leave them, waiting for the opportunity and the space to deal with them. In the meantime, other "bits" spring to mind and I never end up getting back to the big idea.

Seriously, I make those errors all too often (that's what comes from seeing words misspelled again and again in students' writing).

I have a list of blog ideas on a Post-It--every so often I just decide to write on one. But it doesn't always work--I've been meaning to write something about Jean Nathan's biography of Dare Wright for months. Maybe someday (soon!).

“Orange Crate Art” is a song by Van Dyke Parks and the title of a 1995 album by Van Dyke Parks and Brian Wilson. It is, to my mind, one of the great American songs: “Orange crate art was a place to start.” Comments are welcome, appended to posts or by
e-mail.

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